International Families' Guide

We look forward to welcoming you to Dauntsey’s in September. Below is a list of notices and reminders which includes visa guidelines, links to medical forms, as well as booking musical lessons and uniform fittings. Please read through this page and ensure that you have completed everything in time for your arrival at School.

Arrangements for the beginning of the Autumn Term

Thursday 6 September 2018

Your boarding house will be open from 10.00 on Thursday 6 September and House Staff will be on hand to greet you. Please see Start of Term Arrangements either under Lower School or Upper School for the arrangements for the rest of the day.

If it is a requirement for you to register with the Police on arrival, this will be shown on your Visa. Again, Megan Williams will be pleased to organise this for you.

Please make sure that you bring four passport-sized photographs to School with you at the beginning of term.

Guardians

Whatever your age, whilst you are a pupil at Dauntsey’s you must have a guardian who lives in the UK during term time. Your guardian must be available to collect you if you are too ill to be at School or, if you are suspended from School. Your guardian may also look after you during the exeat weekends during the year and for half term holidays.

Medical Care at Dauntsey’s

Dauntsey’s has its own Medical Centre which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Medical Centre Sisters (Nurses) will do their best to help you with any illnesses and medical issues. You will automatically be registered with the School Doctor, who runs a clinic in the medical centre three times a week; you can book appointments by email or by calling in to talk to one of the nurses. There is also a Physiotherapist who is available by appointment at the Medical Centre. Emergency dental treatment can be organised through the Medical Centre, as can routine appointments. However, most pupils arrange routine appointments with their own dentists during half term or holidays

If you bring any medication with you, you must show this to the Medical Centre Sister and to your Housemaster or Housemistress on arrival.

Language Support – English as an Additional Language (EAL)

All overseas pupils who do not have English as a first language are supported by the EAL Department to further develop their English language skills. This support is structured to meet individual needs and circumstances. Classes focus on enhancing language skills, exam preparation and additional language support to access the School’s curriculum. This support, in addition to preparing them for university, is to help pupils to be successful in their studies and life at Dauntsey’s.

Lessons are either one to one or in small groups in order to maximise the support given in writing, reading, listening and speaking. This is important when it comes to exam preparation for either I/GCSE in the Fifth Form or IELTS in the Sixth Form.

The EAL Department also offers a weekly club for pupils to come for a chat, get help with their work, practise their English and make friends. The younger pupils find the support from older pupils invaluable.

Music Lessons

Dauntsey’s is very proud of the Music Department and there are many music groups and orchestras to join. It is important to sign up early for music lessons if you want them by completing our online form.

School Uniform and Dress Regulations

You will wear your School uniform or Sixth Form clothes until 17.30 from Monday to Friday, and up to 13.30 on Saturdays. After these times you may change into your own clothes.

All boarding pupils should be dressed smartly at breakfast. Boys may not wear earrings, and other jewellery must not be visible. Girls may wear only one small sleeper or stud earring in each lower lobe and other jewellery should not be visible. Nose studs, tongue studs and the like are not allowed. Hair – there should be no extremes of style, colour or cut. Boys’ hair should be groomed and tidy. Hair should be off the collar and boys should be clean-shaven. Girls’ hair, if worn long, should be groomed and tidy or tied back.

Uniform for First to Fifth Forms

You will need to visit the School Shop to buy your uniform and sports kit on arrival at the beginning of term. The Shop is open on Saturday 1 September, 10:00 - 16:00 and then every day the following week from Monday 3 September, 09:00 - 17:00.

Please follow the link to make arrangements for visiting the school shop when you arrive in September and also to complete our online order form for your School Sports bag

Please note that every item of clothing and equipment must have a name label.

What should I bring from home?

Here are a few ideas from Dauntsey’s Overseas pupils. You do not need everything on this list! * items are essential.

*Passport-sized photographs (minimum of 4)

*Personal items and clothes

Clothes for a party

*Dressing gown/onesie and towels

Posters/Photographs of family and friends

Soft toys

Tennis/squash/badminton racket

Umbrella

*Permanent marker pen

*Personal medication (All personal medication has to be handed in to the Medical Centre)

*USB pen drive

*Spare glasses or spare contact lenses and solution if worn

*Slippers/flip-flops (indoor shoe wear)

All paper, files and text books are provided by the School, so there is no need to bring your own.

Duvets, sheets and pillows are supplied, but you may wish to bring your own duvet cover and pillowcase for a single bed.

Mobile phones and Electrical equipment

Mobile phones may be used in your free time. They must be switched off during lessons. Please make sure that your mobile phone will work in the UK. If required, top-up phone cards are on sale at the School Shop. Most of the School is covered by WiFi and you may bring your own laptop.

To meet the current British Standard requirements on portable electrical equipment (BS 1363 pts 1–5) the School operates a policy whereby pupils are requested not to bring their own adapters or extension leads into School. A selection of adapters and extension leads are available for purchase from the School Shop which meet all international standards.

To meet its legal responsibilities the School arranges for all portable electrical equipment to be tested by a qualified electrician; this will be carried out in September and at the start of each new term in all the boarding houses.

Food

Lower School pupils have breakfast and supper at The Manor, whilst lunch is at Main School. Upper School pupils have all their meals at Main School in the Dining Hall together with boarders from all the other senior boarding houses. There is a wide choice of food on offer, all of which is freshly prepared on site. There are hot and cold options including vegetarian and meat or fish dishes, salads, cheese, bread, soup, fruit and desserts. At tea, you may have cakes or biscuits with a hot or cold drink. Only pupils in the Sixth Form may drink alcohol and only in specified circumstances. You are not allowed to bring alcohol into School.

Tuck Shop and Cyber Café

The Tuck Shop sells sweets, chocolate, biscuits, tea, coffee and ice cream during breaks and after lessons. You may sign for what you buy and this will be added to your School bill (please check with your parents!) The nearby Cyber Café allows you to email home and catch up on news.

School minibus service to Devizes

A minibus service to and from our delightful nearby market town of Devizes is provided three times a week in order that pupils can buy extra supplies, go to the local bank and anything else they may require. Devizes has many of the UK high street stores as well as independent stores and coffee shops.

This service is provided free to boarders, you simply need to go to the main Reception to put your name on the list for the day/s you would like to go into Devizes.

The School Day

A week day always begins with breakfast from 7.30 and registration in your boarding house at 8.15. From 8.35 am there is an assembly, a house meeting or a meeting with your tutor. There are nine lessons a day, each lasting 35 minutes. A full break down of the school day can be found here.

Sundays

On Sundays, a varied programme of activities is organised at The Manor. Recent activities have included visits to the cinema, ice skating in Swindon, pancake, cookie and cup-cake making. Brunch is served at 10.30, there is a ‘Sandwich bar’ between 13.00 and 15.00 and supper is served at 18.30.

During the day, Upper School pupils have free time and can choose to study, play sports, enjoy time with friends or take part in an organised outing.

Upper School and Lower School pupils may leave School at the weekend to stay with a friend or go on a day visit once House Staff have received the necessary permission from parents.

Joining the International Society

All new joiners are assigned a ‘buddy’, a pupil from their own year group, to introduce them to other people and help them find their way around.

The International Society is a club for all overseas pupils. There are many events throughout the year. The Society is run by pupils and there are representatives from every house on the Society’s Committee.

Recent events have included: sightseeing trips to local attractions, formal dinners, cinema and ten pin bowling, ice skating, Laser Quest, Chinese New Year Dinner, weekend shopping trips and a trip to Thorpe Park Theme Park and Oxford during the first exeat weekend in September and another to London in the January exeat.

Sport

Everyone does games or sport at Dauntsey’s and the School has extensive facilities. In the Lower School (1st to 3rd Forms) boys play Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, Cricket, Swimming and Athletics; girls play Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Swimming and Athletics according to the season.

Lower School Games: Monday and Wednesday 14.45 – 16.00. For pupils in the 4th and 5th Forms, there is some choice, if you are not in a School team.

Upper School Games: Tuesday and Thursday 14.45 – 16.00For the 6th Form, there is a choice of games and sports; attendance at these sessions is compulsory as they are a part of the School day.

A fitted mouthguard is required for rugby and hockey. Please see details here.

Sports Clubs

There is a large variety of sports clubs which run in the Long Break or after School.

These include: Basketball, Tennis (lessons), Squash (lessons), Swimming, Martial Arts, Badminton, Table Tennis, Dance, Mountain Biking and Archery. During the first week of School, there is a Clubs and Societies Fair, at which you can see what is on offer and sign up for activities.

Useful Vocabulary

Money

Devizes is the nearest town to Dauntsey’s and there are a few banks with electronic cash points. You can also set up a UK bank account. It is useful to do this when you arrive and your House staff can help. It is not recommended that you bring a large amount of cash with you.

Asking for Help

We hope that you will have a very positive experience here at Dauntsey’s and there are many people willing to help, if you have a problem. These include:

Your Tutor, who monitors your academic progress, and is concerned for your welfare and happiness. You will have a weekly meeting with your tutor and will soon establish a good working relationship.

Your Housemaster or Housemistress who will always be there to help.

Your teachers are always a good source of advice.

The School Listening Service is based in the Medical Centre and professional counsellors are always available; there are also student listeners to whom you can turn for help and advice.

The Medical Centre – if you feel unwell or worried you can visit the Medical Centre 24 hours a day.

As a general rule, if you are unsure about anything, it is important to ask for help. You will find that all staff and pupils at Dauntsey’s are willing to assist and, if they don’t know the answer to your question, will put you in touch with somebody who does.

Contact Addresses:

You will be given a School email address and, during the School day, you will be able to use it. You are also able to use other email sites, such as yahoo and hotmail

Boarding House addresses

Dauntsey’s has five boarding houses: The Manor – Junior boys and girlsFitzmaurice House and Mercers House – Senior boys Jeanne House and Evans House – Senior girls

All of the Houses use the address of the School, but you need to add the name of the House before the School’s name e.g. Mercers House, Dauntsey’s School, West Lavington, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 4HE, UK